In our first #FinnemoreFireside of 2026, we welcome The Edtech Ninja, Jodie Lopez. Jodie is a former teacher and edtech product director who now helps companies build software that schools actually want to use. With experience spanning the classroom, big edtech, and early-stage startups, Jodie brings a sharp understanding of what makes educational products work, and what gets in the way. She’s passionate about building trust through honest communication and making sure the tools we create truly support the people who use them. It’s a fascinating chat where she and Nick discuss:

• Why getting your messaging wrong isn’t just ineffective — it can actively damage trust with schools.

• What most edtech onboarding processes miss entirely (and how to fix it).

• How to balance clarity and transparency when you’re communicating what your product actually does.

• Jodie’s take on where edtech marketing often overpromises and where it should get more honest.

• The one thing founders need to stop saying if they want schools to believe in their product.

• What schools really want from product walkthroughs and why features come second.

• Why trust-building starts long before the demo.

• A candid look at AI in edtech: where it adds value, where it doesn’t, and how to communicate that difference.